Chapter 7 The King’s Plans

“Your Majesty! Do you have time now?”

“… Why are you in such a hurry?”

A few days after Lady Lydia left for Eudrais. While I was finishing up some paperwork, the Prime Minister came into the room looking flustered.

Sweat was running down his forehead. It was rare for him to be so upset. Was there some kind of emergency?

He spoke with a grim expression.

“Is it true that Lady Lydia has gone to Eudrais?”

“… It’s true.”

“Why would you do something like that…!”

I understand what he means. Lady Lydia is a talented person who can use magic with two attributes. I think he wants to say that it’s strange for the royal family to let such a person go.

Normally, only one of the five attributes of magic can be used, and no one in history has ever been able to use magic with two attributes.

 Therefore, when it was discovered that Lady Lydia could use magic of two elements, it sent shock waves through the noble world.

It is unclear why she was able to use magic of two elements…

The reason why the nobles are nobles today is because they won wars in the past with the power of magic. Therefore, magic is a sign of nobility and a symbol of power.

Still, no one in history has been able to use magic of two elements.

That is why Lady Lydia’s existence is so valuable.

The royal family wanted to obtain Lady Lydia’s powers and incorporate her magical talent into the royal blood. For that reason, they were pushing forward with the marriage even if it was a bit forceful…

The Prime Minister must be wondering why the royal family would let Lady Lydia go so easily.

“Hm, wait a second. I didn’t approve the annulment of the engagement without thinking about it.”

“…What do you mean?”

As Lady Lydia claimed, the fact that Cedric broke off the engagement in front of the public is not something that can be easily overturned.

 If that was the case, I thought I should accept the annulment of the engagement and banishment this time. Then when the time was right, I could call Lady Lydia back to the royal capital and make her Cedric’s fiancée again as she had atoned for her crimes.

Until then, I could persuade Cedric to break up with the baron’s daughter.

However, when the Prime Minister heard my idea, he did not seem convinced.

 “Even if we call her back, I don’t think that Lady Lydia, whose engagement was broken off, will come back here. I think she will stay in Eudrais…”

“That’s fine. I’ve spread bad rumors about Lady Lydia in Eudrais.”

“Bad rumors? Why?”

“If she is treated poorly in her new home, she will probably realize that it would be much better for her to return to high society.”

“…”

“I’ve also taken other steps to make Lady Lydia dislike staying in a remote area.”

After her engagement was broken off, Lady Lydia had a strong desire not to get back together with Cedric.

However, if she were to suffer more than the broken engagement, she would probably think that she would have been better off remaining Cedric’s fiancée.

 “Thank you for your kind words, but wouldn’t that mean that Lady Lydia, who has no place in either high society or in the Eudrais territory, might leave the country…?”

I smile at the Prime Minister’s reasonable point.

“It’s fine. I made a pledge with Lady Lydia that she wouldn’t leave the country.”

“…”

“I’m also thinking of a second plan. I have my people over there.”

The reason why I chose to banish Lady Lydia to the Eudrais territory was mainly because of my second plan. Even if the first plan doesn’t work out, if I carry out the second plan, Lady Lydia will definitely be in the hands of the royal family.

“Well, just wait and see. Lady Lydia will definitely return to the royal capital.”

At that time, I was sure I would get her.

However, I would later realize that this was a big mistake.

I had misjudged her.

Everything I set out to do was repelled by her power. Her tenacity, kindness, and imagination made all my hopes meaningless…

But my biggest miscalculation was that Miss Lydia thought that just being able to take a bath would make her happy.

I didn’t realize this at the time.